July 18/01 10:49 am - Abitibi Stage 3, Ontario Track

Posted by Editor on 07/18/01

Tour de l'Abitibi - QuebecCourtesy Jacques Landry - National Coach

Stage 3 of Abitibi was a 115 kilometre road stage from Rouen to Val d'Or. Since it was the first road stage, the riders were nervous, with a few crashes in the early kilometres. There were a few breaks, but they were never able to gain more than a minute before the Dutch, Danish/Finnish or Slovenian teams shut it down and brought everything back together. Jacques Landry said that the Mexican squad was particularly aggressive today.

The stage finished with 3 laps of last night's criterium circuit. A 2 man break hit the circuit with a slight advantage, and they were not caught until the final lap, when Jukka Vastaranta (Denmark/Finland) launched a strong attack that took him straight through them and on to the win. Vastaranta's win also put him into the leader's jersey. It should be noted that this Finnish rider is also the current Junior World Cup leader.

Directions to Wind-Del Community Park from Toronto (Courtesy of Ronde van Wind-Del) Take QEW and 403 through Hamilton to the top of Hamilton Mountain at Ancaster. Leave Hwy 403 and join Hwy #2 toward Brantford. At Brant Road #18, turn left Follow Brant Road #18 for 8kms to Brant County Road #4 and turn left. Keep on #4 for about 11 kms. and cross Brant County Road #24 at Oakland. Continue to Scotland to the junction of Hwy. #24 after 3kms. Turn left onto Hwy #24 and immediately right at the fork onto Brant County Road #4. Continue for 6.5kms through Vanessa and then another 5kms. to Haldimand Norfolk Road #25. Turn left and proceed for 5kms to Windham Centre. At the T junction, turn right onto RR #9. Take the first left back onto #25, cross the railway tracks and Wind-Del Community Park is on the left hand side.